A Critical Conversation on Climate Change ... - Green Choices

316 development dialogue september 2006 – carbon tradingPlantar charcoalovens.Plantar: Plantar has never used child labour or slave labour. Ourworking conditions are in complete accordance with labour laws.Besides complying with Forestry Stewardship Council standards,the company is frequently audited under its International StandardsOrganisation-certified quality management system and is certified byABRINQ Foundation as a ‘child-friendly company’. Representativesfrom the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have visitedPlantar’s facilities. Plantar may have been cited over working conditionsby a Parliamentary Investigation Commission (along with everyother company in the sector), but no irregularities were found. Thebenefits provided to employees are a benchmark for the industry andinclude occupational health care, half scholarships for all employeesfrom basic education to graduate degrees, and free meals and foodsupply kits to lower-income employees. Instead of undertaking a legaldispute with the Curvelo Regional Labour Office (DRT) after beingcited over outsourcing, Plantar has already agreed to manufacturecharcoal with its own workforce.Locals: Plantar’s agreement to manufacture charcoal with its ownworkforce needs to be evaluated to see whether it is really improvingconditions for workers, who in general earn a maximum of onlyusd 100 a month. As unemployment is rife, most workers are frightenedof mentioning any problem that occurs, including the creationof new contracting companies nominally part of Plantar with nameslike Plantar Energética. Plantar charcoal workers are continuouslyexposed to smoke containing toxic gases as well as pesticides andare at a high risk of accidents. In Espirito Santo, the Attorney Generalfor Workers’ Conditions opened a confidential investigation in